Capital City of Verdant Glades Kingdom.
In the Capital City of Verdant Glades Kingdom, news of the Coalition Army's defeat and the looming threat of Lord Gareth Miller's necromantic powers reached the ears of King Richard II.
"Y-your Majesty, we have bad news from Emberwood County that our coalition army is defeated." The royal advisors bring bad news to his liege.
King Richard II, seated on his throne in the grand hall of the palace, listened intently as his advisor delivered the grim tidings. His brows furrowed with concern, and he leaned forward, gripping the armrests of his throne.
"Defeated? How is that possible? Our 20,000-strong army was just crushed by a barony, a small fiefdom in my kingdom, is this a joke?" He was in disbelief that his army had been defeated along with one of his best generals.
The royal advisors said what Countess Maresha had written in the letter. "Countess Maresha said that one of the priests of the Church of Light told her that the Coalition army that survived the battle had just fled the Barony of Oscana and taken refuge in her fiefdom."
"According to the soldier who survived in the battlefield that Baron Gareth use necromancy and turn his soldier who just die and revive them to become an undead".
King Richard II's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Necromancy? not only did he have connections to the Blood God cult, but also to Necromancy, how could he learn such ancient magic, didn't the Church of Light already destroy all books related to Necromancy 500 years ago? "
The royal advisor nodded solemnly. "It appears, Your Majesty, that Lord Gareth Miller has somehow gained access to forbidden knowledge. The situation is dire, and we must act swiftly to counter this threat. Countess Maresha has requested immediate assistance, and Father Matthias, a priest of the Church of Light, has urged us to intervene."
"Does the Holy See already know about this matter?" King Richard II is curious about the Church of Light's action if they know about this matter.
The royal advisor shook his head. "We don't know, probably the countess Maresha already send the message to his holiness."
King Richard II rose from his throne, his expression grave. "Send word to the Church of Light immediately. Inform Pope Pontiff Ealdred III of the dire situation in Emberwood County and request their assistance. "
"Also, have we also received word from Pinnacle Republic about the Non Aggression Pact?"
The royal advisor shook his head. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, we have received no word from the Pinnacle Republic."
King Richard II sighed, the weight of the situation pressing upon him. "Very well. Dispatch messengers to the Church of Light and Pinnacle Republic immediately. We cannot afford to face this threat alone. Inform them of the urgency and request their swift response."
He turned to another advisor. "What do you think of the Pinnacle Republic, will they use our instability within my realm to invade my kingdom?"
The advisor considered the question carefully before responding. "Your Majesty, while the Pinnacle Republic might see an opportunity in the current situation, it's hard to predict their actions. However, considering the severity of the threat posed by Baron Gareth and the urgency of Countess Maresha's plea, we must prioritize securing assistance from the Church of Light and reinforcing Emberwood County against this necromantic threat. Once the immediate danger is addressed, we can then turn our attention to diplomatic matters, including potential discussions with the Pinnacle Republic."
King Richard II shakes in disagreement. "Wrong, we have already lost 20,000 soldiers, now we will be weakened this time if we send our troops just to defeat Baron Gareth, once they notice the turmoil in my kingdom, they will invade our eastern realm."
"And now we only have 65,000 soldiers left. If we mobilize the entire army again and lose for the second time, well, my kingdom just got doomed."
"There will be nothing left to defend, and it will be the end for House of Willson."
King Richard II's concerns were valid, and the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on his shoulders. The dual threats of Baron Gareth Miller's necromantic powers and the potential opportunism from the Pinnacle Republic demanded careful consideration.
The royal advisors exchanged worried glances, understanding the precarious position the kingdom now found itself in. The king, pacing in the grand hall, spoke with a determined tone.
"We cannot afford to risk our entire army in a second confrontation without proper information and preparation. We must take a strategic approach. Mobilize our intelligence network, gather information on BaronĀ Gareth Miller, and assess the extent of his necromantic abilities. In the meantime, reinforce Emberwood County with a smaller, specialized force to withstand any immediate threat."
The advisors nodded in agreement, recognizing the wisdom in King Richard II's cautious approach. They quickly set about implementing the king's directives, dispatching messengers to both the Church of Light and the Pinnacle Republic, urging them to respond to the urgent situation in Emberwood County.
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Holy See Basilica.
In the Holy See Basilica, the spiritual heart of the Church of Light, urgent news from Emberwood County reached the ears of His Holiness, Pope Pontiff Ealdred III. The atmosphere within the grand halls of the basilica, adorned with intricate stained glass windows depicting the triumphs of the Church, turned solemn as the gravity of the situation became apparent.
His Holiness, adorned in his ceremonial robes, listened attentively as a high-ranking clergyman recounted the dire events unfolding in Emberwood County. The defeat of the Coalition Army, the use of necromancy by Lord Gareth Miller, and the potential threat to the stability of the region were laid out before him.
"Your Holiness, the situation in Emberwood County is dire. The Coalition Army, including General Cedric and Inquisitor Ardian Kennedy, has suffered a defeat at the hands of Baron Gareth Miller, who is rumored to wield necromantic powers. The countess of Emberwood County, Maresha, has requested immediate assistance, and Father Matthias, a priest of the Church of Light, is urging our intervention," the high-ranking clergyman reported."